The Christmas season – a time of peace and reflection. We enjoy the scent of delicious Christmas biscuits and the sight of twinkling lights, and we look forward to getting together with the family over good food and drink. At the same time, the days are now short, temperatures are cold and energy consumption rises sharply. A good time to take a look around your own home and ask where there might be potential savings to be made.
Things are heating up in the kitchen
Homemade Christmas biscuits, Kletzenbrot (Austrian pear bread), punch and a splendid Christmas dinner – at this time of year, your kitchen appliances are running at full tilt.
How can you cut your energy consumption?
Baking trays
Take any trays you are not using out of the oven, as they absorb heat unnecessarily.
Not all baked goods need a preheated oven. For many biscuits, you can skip this step altogether.
Use the residual heat
For long baking times (40 minutes or more), you can switch the oven off 10 minutes before the end. That way, you make the best use of the residual heat.
Pan lids
“Every pot has a lid to match.” A well-fitting lid speeds up heating and needs only around a fifth of the energy.
To make full use of the energy you need, choose the right hotplate for the size of your pan.
Heat water in the kettle. But note: on an induction hob, it is more energy-efficient to heat quantities of 1.5 litres or more directly on the hob.
No Christmas without Christmas lights
Fairy lights on Christmas trees, illuminated window pictures and a decorated balcony or garden are as much a part of the run-up to Christmas as of the festive days themselves. If you are wondering whether all those Christmas lights mean wasting energy unnecessarily, there is good news: using as little electricity as possible and having a house lit up for Christmas are not mutually exclusive.
Here’s how to avoid energy guzzlers:
LED fairy lights
Invest in LED fairy lights! They shine just as brightly as conventional fairy lights but use only about a third of the electricity. They also last much longer, which is good news for both your wallet and the environment.
Solar-powered fairy lights
For outdoors, eco-friendly solar-powered fairy lights are a great option.
Timers
Don’t let your Christmas lights shine all day long. With timers, you can set exactly when your lights switch on and off – and save energy at the same time.
Lanterns
Have you thought about an alternative that uses no energy at all? Perhaps now and then you might like to light up your outdoor area with (candle) lanterns?
Airing your home in the cold season
Even in winter, you should air your rooms regularly to prevent mould and let in fresh air. Air in short bursts rather than continuously! Twice a day, it’s best to open the windows wide for 5–10 minutes rather than leaving them tilted open for long periods. Tilted windows cool down the surrounding walls, which then take a lot of energy to warm up again. Also make sure that air can flow through the room, and be sure to turn the heating off beforehand.
Lights off – plugs out
Around the home and in everyday life in particular, there are plenty of ways to cut today’s high electricity costs:
Standby mode
Your TV and DVD player are not in use, yet a little red light is still glowing? Your PC or espresso machine doesn’t have a proper off switch? Then these devices are probably in standby mode and using electricity around the clock. In an average household, standby consumption accounts for around a tenth of the electricity bill.
Take care when buying large electrical appliances
Ideally, when buying new appliances, choose ones that can be fully disconnected from the mains. Otherwise, the rule is simple: pull the plug when they are not in use. A power strip with an on/off switch stops devices from drawing electricity after you have finished with them.
Switch off the lights
Leave the room, switch off the light – often it’s simply a matter of habit. Do you find that you often forget to switch off the lights in certain rooms? Make use of motion sensors – a simple, low-cost way to get round the problem.
Give the heating a rest
Depending on your heating system, lowering the room temperature by 2–3 degrees Celsius can lead to huge savings on energy costs.
Body heat
Especially over the holidays, we look forward to seeing our loved ones again. Their company alone makes any home feel cosy. When you get together with family and friends, their body heat warms the room almost by itself – so the heating doesn’t have to run at full blast.
Residual heat
The oven can also help raise the room temperature. After baking, leave the oven door open and make use of the residual heat.
Heating settings
If you are going away over the holidays, it is a good idea to turn the heating down. Switching it off completely is not recommended, as this can lead to mould or frozen pipes.
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You can find more energy-saving tips here.
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